The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has praised the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a separatist leader, by Finnish police.
In separate statements, Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, and Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Director of Defence Information, described the arrest as a major win in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), expressed his happiness over the development.
“CDS is happy with his arrest in Finland, with the hope this will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice,” said Brigadier General Gusau on Thursday.
Similarly, Major General Buba noted that the arrest showed strong international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
“The CDS has always called for the arrest of Simon Ekpa following is deep involvement in fueling terrorism in SE Nigeria.
“We are delighted about his arrest, and glad that the international community is partnering with Nigerian in our fight against terrorism,” Buba stated.
Simon Ekpa was declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters on March 23 for inciting violence in the South-East. He was listed alongside 96 others accused of terrorism across the country.
On Thursday, Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa and four others for alleged terror-related activities, including inciting violence and financing terrorism. A district court in Lahti ordered his detention for public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent in Nigeria.
Ekpa, a known advocate of the separatist group IPOB, was accused of using social media to spread propaganda and incite unrest in Nigeria. The court said his actions dated back to August 23, 2021.
Finnish authorities are also investigating him for alleged financial crimes, including collecting funds through suspicious means.
